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Clarence Galaxias

Clarence Galaxias

A small, scaleless native fish found only in a handful of isolated highland lakes and streams in Tasmania, Australia, the Clarence Galaxias survives in waters that introduced trout have not yet reached.

Rarely exceeding 14 cm, it represents a living remnant of Tasmania's pre-trout freshwater fauna — a species of conservation significance rather than an angling target.

Scientific Name: Galaxias johnstoni

Physical Characteristics:
  • Scaleless, elongated tubular body; dark brown on the back with irregular bars and bands fading to a yellow-cream belly — useful for distinguishing it from trout fry in the same region.
  • Maxes out around 140 mm (about 5.5 inches) and 20 g; most individuals are closer to 75 mm, making this one of the smaller galaxiid species.
  • No adipose fin (unlike trout); the dorsal fin sits far back near the tail, a characteristic shared across the galaxiid family.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • Endemic to Tasmania, Australia — one of the most restricted freshwater fish ranges on the continent, known from only eight isolated populations in the upper Derwent River catchment.
  • A cold, clean highland specialist: lives in lakes, swamps, and the streams connecting them on Tasmania's southern Central Plateau.
  • Every known population sits upstream of a natural barrier — a waterfall or fluctuating water level — that keeps introduced brown and rainbow trout out. Where trout reach, this species disappears.

Specific Spots

  • Rocky margins of highland lagoons are the core habitat; adults shelter tight against boulders and beneath rock slabs, using them as cover from predators and current.
  • Outlet and inlet streams of Clarence Lagoon hold adults, particularly around rocky substrate where benthic invertebrates concentrate.
  • When disturbed, individuals dart immediately under boulders — which tells you where to look when surveying: any substantial rock in shallow, clear water is a candidate.

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